With more than one million student- athletes playing high school football, five are chosen as the best of the best for their combined academic and athletic excellence.
DALLAS, Oct. 8, 2008 – The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the selection of five exceptional individuals as the best and the brightest in the country for their accomplishments as athletes, scholars and citizens, naming them as the NFF National High School Scholar-Athletes for 2008.
2008 NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Honorees (Currently freshmen in college – full bios included)
* Nick Downey – Midwest Region – Chicago Metro Chapter – Mundelein High School – Mundelein, Illinois
* Jordan Haynes – West Region – Sacramento Valley Chapter – Jesuit High School – Sacramento, California
* Andrew Luck – South Region – Touchdown Club of Houston Chapter – Stratford High School – Houston, Texas
* Jonathan Meyers – Northeast Region – Ralph DeSantis/Fairfield County Chapter – Greenwich High School – Greenwich, Connecticut
* Andrew Rodriguez – East Region – National Capital (Washington, D.C.) Chapter – Bishop Ireton High School – Alexandria, Virginia
With more than one million high school football players, the five scholar-athletes will be honored as the best of the best for their combined accomplishments during the NFF’s Chapter Annual Awards Luncheon, presented by Sprinturf, on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. First bestowed in 1991, the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Award has become one of the most prestigious high school honors in the country. Criteria for the award include but are not limited to academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement.
“With the National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards, the NFF annually strives to honor the absolute finest from the gridiron at the high school level,” said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. “The accomplishments of this year’s five nominees make us all proud, and their contributions both on and off the field set the standard for their peers to follow, and I thank Sprinturf for joining us in our efforts to promote what these individuals represent.”
Covering more than 400,000 student-athletes at 4,800 high schools, the NFF chapter network, comprised of 120 chapters with 12,000 members, annually analyzes the credentials of the best and the brightest from each school, ranking them on their academic achievement, athletic performance and community leadership. Selecting 3,300 student-athletes for recognition at local award banquets, the chapters distribute nearly $1 million in scholarships. From this pool of our nation’s best, a national committee then selects five individuals for the recognition as NFF National High School Scholar-Athletes at the New York City ceremonies.
Also at the NFF Annual Awards Luncheon, presented by Sprintruf, four exceptional individuals, selected for their extraordinary dedication and efforts in fulfilling the NFF’s mission, will be honored as the recipients of the 2008 NFF Chapter Leadership Awards.
Later that evening, the NFF will hold its 2008 Annual Awards Dinner, celebrating the organization’s 61st Anniversary. The evening will be highlighted by the induction of 15 of college football’s greatest legends in to the College Football Hall of Fame. Additionally, several awards will be bestowed that evening, including the Gold Medal, the Distinguished American Award, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and more than $300,000 will be granted to the 15 collegiate recipients of the NFF’s highly prestigious National Scholar-Athlete Awards for their post- graduate educations. For tickets or more information about the lunch or dinner, please call 800.486.1865 or visit www.footballfoundation.org.
Nick Downey
Midwest Region
Mundelein High School – Mundelein, Illinois Chicago Metro Chapter
Driven by a passion for excellence, Nick Downey excelled in every aspect of high school, producing a record that was universally admired by his peers, teachers and coaches at Mundelein High School in suburban Chicago, Illinois.
A football letterman for all four years in high school, Downey captained the Mustangs throughout his senior campaign despite being sidelined with a leg injury. At defensive tackle, he was named to the North Suburban All-Academic Team.
Downey maintained an impressive 3.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale, landing a spot on the Mundelein Honor Roll every semester of his high school career and earning membership in the National Honor Society. A leader in his school, he participated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and as an active member of his class’ leadership council.
“I can only hope that [my son] develops the same character traits that Nick has,” said Mundelein head coach Dave Whitson. “He is an excellent student with a heart of gold and has a “Can-Do” attitude. Nick certainly displayed this through his leadership and community involvement and his unwavering attitude to encourage and enhance the lives of the people around him.”
The winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship Award, Downey volunteered at a homeless shelter, assisted with fundraising work, coached junior high school football and basketball and was a lector at his church.
Downey currently plays defensive end at Drake University where he is a business major.
Jordan Haynes
West Region
Jesuit High School – Sacramento, California Sacramento Valley Chapter
Jordan Haynes symbolizes everything right about high school football. His reputation for sportsmanship, competitive energy and drive for academic excellence at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, Calif., simply defined him as the best of the best in the West Region.
A two-time varsity captain, the tenacious Haynes started every game on both offense and defense for his final two seasons at Jesuit, claiming team defensive and team MVP honors. He shattered school records for assisted tackles (123) and total tackles (169) in a season and assisted tackles in a game (26) during his senior campaign. Named the Sacramento Bee’s Defensive Player of the Year, he was a First Team selection at linebacker on the All-Section, All- Metro, and All-League teams and played in the Blitz 3 Holiday Classic All-Star Game.
Valedictorian in a highly competitive class of 256 students, Haynes tallied an impeccable 4.6 GPA on a 4.465 scale. His many honors included membership in the National Honor Society, the Jesuits Excellence Award, the College of Holy Cross Book Award, and being named a National Merit Scholar. Vice President of the Black Student Union, he participated in student government and the Executive Student Council while serving as a Big Brother during the school’s freshman retreat.
“Jordan is the most qualified scholar-athlete we’ve had in many, many years,” said Jesuit head coach Dan Carmazzi. “He is an outstanding young man.”
Active in the community, Haynes volunteered with his church; coached local youth football teams; helped at an elderly home; participated in the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program; and became a regular at the annual Christmas party for underprivileged local youth.
Haynes is attending Yale University in New Haven, Conn., playing linebacker for the Bulldogs.
Andrew Luck
South Region
Stratford High School – Houston, Texas
Touchdown Club of Houston Chapter
Ranked as the nation’s most accurate high school quarterback and his class valedictorian, Andrew Luck epitomized the highest levels of excellence both on and off the field at Stratford High School in Houston, Texas.
With a perfect 6.5 GPA on a 6.5 scale, his numerous academic honors include membership in the National Honor Society; the Stratford High School’s Principal’s Award; and election as a Houston Athletic Committee Spring Scholar Athlete. A regional qualifier in Accounting for the Business Professionals of America, he attended the National Young Leadership Conference in Washington D.C.
The Dave Campbell’s Magazine 5A High School Player of the Year in 2007, Luck earned three varsity letters in football, captaining his team in 2006 and 2007. An All-District First Team selection, he accepted invitations to participate in the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He received Top 100 Player honors and the Offensive MVP Award for the 19-5A District. He made both the Texas High School Coaches Association Academic All- State First Team and the Randy Rogers Preseason All- Academic First Team. His athletic prowess extended to basketball court where he also earned three varsity letters.
“Andrew is the ultimate team player,” said Stratford High School head coach Elliot Allen. “He has lots of talent but shies away from taking the credit. He is a very humble person who always puts team before anything else.”
A leader in the community, Luck volunteered with the Special Olympics, Camp of Champs, Literacy Advance, and the Ronald McDonald House Project. He participated in both Young Life and his Catholic Church’s youth group.
Currently attending Stanford University on a football scholarship, Luck boasts a strong connection to the National Football Foundation with his father, Oliver Luck, claiming a 1981 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award as the quarterback with the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Jonathan Meyers
Northeast Region
Greenwich High School – Greenwich, CT
Ralph DeSantis Chapter
A top-ranked ESPN athlete with academic abilities to match, Jonathan Meyers developed a reputation as one of the most exceptional student-athletes in the history of Connecticut sports, leaving a lasting impression on all his teachers, coaches, peers and most importantly, the community in and around Greenwich High School.
Meyers led the Cardinals to three state finals and back- to-back state championships, one as the game MVP and a second as team captain. At linebacker, he set team records for tackles (300), sacks (30), and caused and recovered fumbles (20). As a fullback, he rushed for more than 2,500 yards, averaging 9 yards per carry and scoring 45 touchdowns in two seasons. A 2007 High School All-America, ESPN ranked him as the No. 1 player in New England, and he landed on the ESPN and Rivals list of the nation’s top 20 linebackers. Additional accolades include winning the state’s Scholar-Athlete Award from the CIAC/CT Coaches Association and earning First Team recognition three times at fullback and linebacker on the All-County Team and two times on the All-State Team. Meyers also excelled in lacrosse with a Top 20 ranking from ESPN and being named to the Under Armor All-American Team in 2008.
Voted the Greenwich High School Class of 2008 Male- Scholar-Leader, Meyers maintained a 4.5 GPA, never missing the school’s High Honor Roll throughout his entire high school career. A member of the National Honor Society, he took all honors classes and five Advanced Placement courses, and his honors include the Folsom House Recognition Award, the Greenwich High School Physical Science Award, and the Greenwich High School Math Award.
“His best attribute, besides the obvious, is his compassion,” said Greenwich High School head coach Rich Albonizio. “If I had a son, and he turned out half as good as Jonathan, I would consider myself the luckiest man in the world. Jonathan has my full respect [and] admiration.”
Beyond the field and the classroom, Meyers served as chairman on his high school’s prom committee for three years, on the Red Cross Youth Council, tutored his peers, and participated in the Kid’s Day Red Cross Carnival. Jonathan also volunteered with Guiding Eyes for the Blind, where he socialized and raised potential Seeing Eye dogs. He represented the state of Connecticut at the 2007 National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C.
The son of Glenn Meyers, who lined up at nose guard and linebacker for Florida in the early ’80s, Jonathan received more than 30 Division I scholarship offers, deciding to attend Princeton University and play football and lacrosse for the Tigers.
Andrew Rodriguez
East Region
Bishop Ireton High School – Alexandria, Virginia National Capital Chapter
With a resume that proclaims a young man of exceptional talent and brilliance, Andrew Rodriquez’s accomplishments extended well beyond any piece of paper into all realms of student life at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va.
A two-year captain and playing both ways at linebacker, running back, fullback, and wide receiver, Rodriquez guided the Cardinals to the runner-up spot in the 2007 Virginia Independent League State Championships while leading the team in pass receiving and scoring and ranking second in rushing, interceptions, tackles for loss, and yards per carry. A four-year starter, he earned First Team accolades at linebacker for three years on the All-State Team and in 2007 on the D.C. Examiner First Team All-Area Team and the Washington Post Second Team All-Met Team. A finalist for the Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year, he was selected by the Fairfax Co. Football Hall of Fame as the Private School Player of the Year. He also earned multiple letters in basketball (two-year captain), track and lacrosse.
In the classroom, he recorded an impressive 4.373 GPA on a 4.0 scale and ranked within the top 10 of his highly competitive class, earning membership in the National Honor Society. He participated in the school’s Economics Club and severed as an officer in student government.
“Andrew is a humble individual who makes those around him better academically, athletically, and socially,” said Bishop Ireton head coach Anthony Verducci. “He is the very best we have to offer… one of our finest students past or present. He always puts his team and classmates ahead of himself in every situation, and by doing so, was an exemplary citizen.”
As outstanding leader off the field and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Rodriquez volunteered numerous hours during weekly visits to injured soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and attended the Salesian Leadership Camp.
Rodriquez is attending the United States Military Academy and playing football, continuing the family West Point tradition started by his dad, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, the former commander of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division previously stationed in Afghanistan, and his sister who graduated from West Point in 2006 and is stationed in Iraq.
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